Recoverable articles are known. They are used, for example to enclose a substrate for example a pipe or a cable, a pipe joint or a cable splice. Typically the article comprises a heat recoverable polymeric sleeve which is shrunk around the substrate to be enclosed by applying heat to the sleeves. For some applications, for example for a splice between telecommunications cables, it is usual to include a relatively rigid liner around the splice, beneath the sleeve, to protect the splice.
It is also known to incorporate a valve into the splice closure system. This may be used for a variety of purposes. For example newly installed telecommunication splice closures are typically tested for leakage by temporarily pressurising the splice by means of a valve. This is called "a flash-test". Also some telecommunications systems are permanently pressurised. In these cases the valve may provide access to a pressure monitoring device, which acts as a leakage detection device: a fall in the pressure reading indicating a leak in the system. British Patent Application No 17797/76 for example, describes a heat shrinkable polymeric sleeve wherein a valve is mounted in a stable part of the sleeve. British Patent Application No 8137818 describes an alternative construction in which the valve is mounted on the liner,and extends through a hole in the sleeve.
Heat recoverable articles which comprises a recoverable fabric are also known British Patent Application, Publication No. 8400188 for example describes a recoverable fabric sleeve used in conjunction with a liner as a cable splice case. In a preferred embodiment the liner carries a valve through which the splice may be pressurised. The valve is pushed between the fibres of the fabric sleeve to the exterior of the sleeve.
The present invention provides an alternative fabric cover which can be used, inter alia, as a sleeve to enclose a pressurised substrate. The cover itself contains an aperture in which a member adapted to receive a valve or plug can sit, to control the fluid flow through the cover. The invention also provides a new assembly for enclosing a substrate which comprises an apertured cover (fabric or polymeric for example), a liner and a member which locates the apertures of the liner and the cover.